Skip to main content

The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children

By

by Keith McGowan, read by Laural Merlington
Brilliance Audio, 2010. Audiobook. Fiction
Book: Henry Holt, 2009. 192 pages.


McGowan's modern retelling of Hansel and Gretel is the more disturbing for being contemporary. The story begins with the witch reading from her diary about how she lured children to her home and the tasty meals that followed. When Sol and Connie Blink move to the town where the witch lives now, they don't know their father and icky stepmother have moved there on purpose to get rid of their children (the witch has convenient drop-off locations near movie theaters). Sol is a brilliant but unlucky nerd, whose science fair project goes badly awry because his little sister Connie has been secretly fiddling with it. Connie is precocious in an often annoying way, and the two soon figure out that the overly friendly Mrs. Holaderry is up to no good, when they find her little dog with a human bone in his jaws. When the two think they are outwitting the witch, they are actually running right into her clutches. In the frightening closing scenes, Sol and Connie manage to escape and push the witch into her own firepit, but unlike in Hansel and Gretel she gets back out, leaving the (oven) door open for a sequel. . . . In the award-winning audio version, Laural Merlington is a frightening witch, her tone unctuous but dripping with menace, and it is definitely not for children prone to nightmares. But kids who like to get just a little bit scared will love the dark comedy of McGowan's story.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

By loo
Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.
Post a Comment
Read more

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

By
If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: The New Girl

By
The New Girl By Cassandra Calin New York: Graphix, 2024. Comic. 261 pages. 12-year-old Lia and her family have just moved from Romania to Montreal, and she's doing her best to keep up with the changes. But, she's homesick. She misses the rest of her family, her friends, and her favorite Romanian treats. She doesn't speak French and her English is shaky, which makes it hard to make friends, even in her international immersion class. And she's dealing with super painful menstrual cramps every month. But before long, Lia starts to hit her stride. She befriends the other bilingual girls in her class, she gets a spot as the artist for her school's magazine, and even has a new crush -- Julien. Though she may be the new girl, Lia is starting to fit in. This slice of life graphic novel is an adorable choice for middle grade readers and young teens. Lia is a likable protagonist and readers will have little difficulty relating to her adjustment to school. The text speaks to a...
Post a Comment
Read more